Water-agitator for ice-cans.



2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Patented Apr. 27, 191.

WATER AGIT ATOR FOR ICE CANS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1913.

J. C. TABY, J. H. STRAUB & D. M. MAURER.

m a 8 05 v. Emma m mi m i n (H WITNESSES .l. C. TABY, J. H. STRAUB & D.M. MAURER.

WATER AGITATOR FOR ICE CANS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1913.

1 1 37,55 1 Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- F 3.

WITNESSES INVENTORS JOSfP/Y C. 7775) ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOSEPH C. TABY, JAMES H. STBAUB, AND DAVID M. ILAU'RER, OF SHAMOKIN,

. PENNSYLVANIA. I

wATEB-AGITATOR FOR ICE-CAN S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

' To all whom. it may concern Be it known that we, Josnrn C. TABY, JamesH. STRAUB, and DAVID M. MAURER, citizens of the United States, andresidents of Shamokin, in the county of Northumberland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Water-Agitator forIce-Cans, of which the following is a full. clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to the art of making artificial ice and has todeal more particularly with means for agitating the water in the icecans in the early stage of freezing.

It has for its general objects to improve and simplify the constructionand operation of air supply devices for ice cans so as to be reliableand efiicient in use and so designed as to economize the time 'of theattendant and be comparatively inexpensive to install and keep inoperative condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an air distributingsystem in which there is arranged on each pipe line running along therows of tanks a plurality of re movable agitating nozzles that dischargeair into the water in the tanks for agitating the water during theprocess of freezing, there being self-closing valves in the distributingmain which automatically open when the nozzles are placed in position onthe pipe and automatically close when the nozzles are removed.

Another object is toso mount the agitating nozzle on the distributingpipe that the nozzles can be oscillated back and forth by the attendantto test the condition of the ice in the process of freezing.

M Still another object is the provision of means for excluding theentrance of dust into the nozzles and clogging the same, and also theprovision of a perforated diaphragm in each nozzle valve by which theair supplied to the nozzles is controlled.

\Vith these objects in view, and others as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstruction and .arrangement of parts which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claimsappended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which lllustrate one embodiment of theinvention,

and wherein similar reference characters are employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a planview of a portion of the flushing floor of an ice plant; Fig. 2 is anenlarged sec brine tank in which are arranged rows of ice cans B, andextending between every two rows is an air distributing pipe 1, suchpipes being connected with a manifold 2 leading to a source of air underpressure, such as a blower C, and in each distributing main or pipe 1 isa cut-ofl' valve 3. Arranged in spaced relation on each distributingpipe 1 is an agitating device D which consists of a yoke 4: formed ofpipe and agitating nozzles 5 depending therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2,the nozzles being spaced apart so that each yoke will supply air toapair. of ice cans B. A combined coupling and valve device E removablyand movably connects the agitating device D with the distributing main1, such device E being shown in detail in Fig. 4. The two sections 6 and7 of the coupling and valve device E are arranged one above the other,the former being a T-coupling 8 which has the tubular members 9 of theyoke screwed into the ends 10 of the coupling. The boss 11 of thecoupling 8 is fitted with a smooth bore bushing 12 that has fastenedthereto a screen 13 which serves to prevent dirt from entering theagitating device, and on'this screen is :1. depending stud 14 which isadapted to engage and open the automatic air valve in the section 7 ofthe device E. This section 7 consists of a T-coupling 15 for connectionwith the sections 16 of the distributing pipe 1, and the central boss 17100 ofthe coupling has a bushing 18 projecting therefrom, said-bushingconstituting a nipple and being smooth externally an of such diameter asto have a sliding but close fit in the bushing 12. Surrounding thisnipple 18 is a rubber asket '19 that'is adapted to form an air-tig tjoint between the two couplings 8 and 15, as in Fig. 4, the weight ofthe agitating device serving to maintain the gas et un er compression.Within the nipple or bushing 18 is an out let port 20 that terminates ina valve seat 21 that is adapted to be engaged b a ball valve 22. Thisvalve 22 is sustained y a follower 23 slidably mounted in the bushingand is supported by a helical compression spring 24 which rests on ashoulder 25 at the inner end of the bushing 18. The inner end of thebushing has an inlet port 26 that communicates with the air distributingpipe 1, so that when the valve is opened an passes through the couplinand valve device E to the nozzles 5. In p acing the agitating device Don the distributing pipe the stud 14 of the agitating device enters theport 20 and engages the valve 21, pressing the latter downwardly to openposition against the tension of the spring 24. This opening or unseatinof the valve occurs automatically in the p acing of the agitating deviceso that the operator does not have to turn on a valve to supply air tothe ice tanks, and obviously the removal of the agitating device D fromthe distributing pipe 1 is accompanied by the automatic closing of thevalve 22, since in the removing of the agitating devicethe stud 14 isdisengaged from the valve. The agitating device D is pivotally connectedwith the distributing pipe so that the said device can have a limitedoscillatory movement, and this is made use of by the attendant in orderto test to what degree the ice has formed in the ice tanks, and by thismeans he can tell when the agitating device should be removed and thepumping out of the dirty water from the ice cans started.

The arms of the yoke'forming the head of the agitating device areconnected with the nozzles 5 by couplings 27, the details of which areshown in 'Fi 5. These couplings consist of matin mem ers 28 and 29united by a nut 30, and etween the ground faces 31 and 32 of thecoupling members 28 and 29 is clamped a diaphra 33 of lead or othersuitable material aving a central opening 34. These diaphra s in thevarious agitating nozzles contro the supply of air in such a manner thatall the nozzles connected with a distributing main will reoeivetheirproper pro ortion.

The arrangement 0 the air distributin system herein shown and describedis a vantageous in that the self-closing valve eliminates the loss oftime and trouble on the part of the attendant in going to the inlet endof the distributin main to turn on the sup 1y of air when'tfie air isnolonger require for a row of ice cans 'su plied by such main.Furthermore, instead of shutting ofi. the air from the entire row ofcans at once the articular arran ement of nozzle devices a ows the airto circulate in each can independently of the other cans, since eachnozzle device is operative until it is removed from the can. The loosejoint between the nip les and nozzle devices permits the atten ant'toswing the said devices back and forth to ascertaln how near the water isfrozen and ready for pum ing out the dirty water. The screens at t elnlets of the nozzle devices prevent the latter from becoming clogged,so that a continuous flow of air is obtamable during the period ofagitation.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operationwill bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains, and while we have described the principle ofoperation, together with the system which we now consider to be the bestembodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the systemshown is merely illustrative,and that such changes may be made whendesired as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combinatlon of an airdistributing pipe, a nipple extending upwardly therefrom and having asmooth exterior, a nozzle having a coupling provided with a smoothinterior to slip on and off the nipple, a self-closing valve in thenipple, a screen in the coupling, and a device carried by the screen forentering the nipple and unseating the valve by the placing of the nozzleon the ni ple.

2. In an apparatus of the class escribed,

the combinatlon of an air distributing pipe, a nipple extending upwardlytherefrom, an agitating nozzle having a coupling provided with an inletfor fitting over the nipple, a gasket on the nipple arranged to beengaged y the coupling, whereby the weight of the nipple is brought tobear on the gasket to maintain an air-tight joint while permitting thenozzle to be moved around the nipple as a center, and a valve in thenipple arranged to be automatically closed by the removal of the nozzle.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an agitating devicecomprising a yoke, a nozzle, a coupling connecting the nozzle with theyoke, and adiaphr'agm in the cow pling and having an opening throughwhich names to this specification in the presence 10 the air passes fromthe yoke to the nozzle. of two subscribing witnesses.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, JOSEPH C TABY an agitatingdevice comprising a yoke in- JAMES H B 5 eluding a central inletcoupling, a screen in DAVID M AURER.

the inlet, a valve-unseating means carried by the screen, and nozzles onthe ends of the Witnesses:

yoke. LEWIS S. MAURER, In testimony whereof we have signed our Emms'r M.MOYER.

